Package construction and method for making the same or the like



Oct. 8, 1968 I c. MANN I 3,404,771

PACKAGE CbNSTRUCTION AND METHC D FOR MAKING THE SAME OR THE LIKE Filed May 28. 1965 INVENTOR.

CHARLES MANN ms ATTORNEYS Unifi d See w fi v 7 3,404,771 PACKAGE CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME OR THE LIKE Charles-Mannfl'Ienrico County,"Va.,' assignor to Reynolds Metals -Company,Richmond, Va'., a corporation of.Delaware 1 a Filed May 28, 1965, Ser. No. 459,654 21 Claims. .(CI. 20645.33)

" ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE -This disclosure relates to a method for packaging a stack of labels each comprising a sheet having a metallic foil side and a paper side, the method comprising the steps of disposing the stack of labels in a heat shrinkable filmlike material that completely surrounds the stack and, thereafter, sealing closed the heat shrinkable material and heat shrinking the same to compact the stack of labels together, the packing of the stackof labels taking place in a controlled atmosphere having a preselected relative humidity of approximately. 50% .and an atmospheric pressure so that the labels will not tend to curl when the package construction is initially opened and thereby will not cause adverse effects in conventional label applying apparatus or the like. Y

This invention. relates to an improved package construction for a stack of sheets or the like. as well as to an improved method-of making such a package construction or the like.

It is well known that various labels for bottles and the like are formed of a lamination of metallic foil and paper backing material whereby the paper side of the label is secured to the beverage bottle or the like in any suitable manner and the foil side thereof forms a decorative exposed surface containing the advertising and/ or informational media concerning the bottled product.

However, such labels are normally utilized in bottling plants wherein the relative humidity is such that if the relative humidity is high, the labels tend to curl toward the foil side thereof, or if the relative humidity is too dry, the labels tend to curl toward the paper side thereof whereby such curled labels not only jam the label applying apparatus, but also the curled labels cannot be utilized. I

Therefore, according to the teachings of this invention, an improved package construction is provided for such labels or the like wherein 'the packaged labels can be maintained in any type of atmospheric conditions for a relatively long period of time and, when the package construction is opened, the labels will initially remain in flat condition so that the same can be readily utilized in the label applying apparatus in a simple and effective manner. It has been found that the package constructions of this invention provide improved moisture protection for the labels or the like, reduced curl thereof, improved flatness for better alignment, see through identification of the labels therein, ease of coding the. labels, protection against foreign .odors, high impact resistance, ease of opening, and an overall attractive package. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved package construction having one or more of the novel features. set forth above or hereinafter shown or described. i H

Another object of this proved method of making such a package construction or the like. l

Other objects, uses andadvantages of this invention are apparent from a.reading of this. description which invention is to provide anim- Patented Oct. 8, 1968 proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a'part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of an improved package construction of this invention. I

' FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 and illustrates the package construction of FIGURE 1 in its opened position.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2.

' FIGURE 4 is a schematic view illustrating the improved method and apparatus for making the package construction of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a top perspective view of another stack of labels or the like.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a reinforcing blank for the stack oflabels of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE'7 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 and illustrates the completed package construction for the stack of labels of FIGURE 5.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adaptable for providing package constructions for bottle labels or the like, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide package constructions for other sheets of material or the like.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, an improved package construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a stack 11 of flat rectangular labels 12 being reinforced by a rigid board means 13 disposed against one side of the stack 11. A heat shrunk and heat sealed sheet of material 14 is disposed about the stack 11 and board means 13 to completely encase and seal the same therein while tightly compacting the stack 11 and board means 13 together to hold the labels 12 in their flat condition.

While the labels 12 can be formed of any suitable material and in any suitable manner, one embodiment thereof is illustrated in FIGURE 3 wherein each label 12 comprises a sheet of metallic foil 15 laminated to a sheet of paper backing material 16 by an interposed layer of adhesive 17 whereby the paper side 16 of the label 12 is to be secured against a beverage container or the like by suitable adhesive means'and the foil side 15 will face outwardly therefrom and carry a pre-printed advertising and/ or informational media in the conventional manner.

It has been found that when the package construction 10 of this invention is formed according to the method of this invention, the same can be stored in places having either wet or dry atmospheric conditions for long periods of time and when the package construction 10 is initially opened by merely slitting and peeling away the wrapping sheet of material 14 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2, the labels 12 remain flat and will not initially curl so that the same can be readily utilized in label applying apparatus in a simple and effective'manner.

For example, the method of making the package construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 18 in FIGURE 4 and comprises a continuously running conveyor means 19 adapted to receive a stack 11 of labels 12 at the left end thereof. If desired, the reinforcing board means 13 can be placed against one side of the stack 11. The conveyor means 19 conveys the stack 11 into a first apparatus 20 which receives the material 14 from a free wheeling supply'roll 21 thereof, cuts a sheet from the material 14, wraps the cut sheet 14 around thestack 11 and heat seals the cut sheet, 14

3 completely around the stack 11 and the reinforcing board means 13, if utilized, to completely seal closed the package construction 10.

After the package construction moves out of the apparatus 20 to the right on the conveyor means 19, the conveyor means 19 conveys the package construction into a heating tunnel 22 or the like wherein the sealed closed sheet of material 14 is heat shrunk around the stack 11 of labels 12 and the reinforcing means 13, if utilized, to form the completed package construction 10 being conveyed to the right of the apparatus 22 by the conveyor means 19. 1

It has been found that if the method and apparatus 1 of this invention is performed in an enclosure 23, as illustrated by the dashed rectangular line in FIGURE 4, wherein the atmospheric conditions in the enclosure 23 is maintained at a preselected condition, the labels 12 will not curl when the package construction 10 is initially opened in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2 even though the package construction 10 had been previously stored for long periods of time at varying adverse atmospheric conditions.

For example, it has been found that if the relative humidity in the enclosure 23 is maintained at approximately 50%, then when the sheet of material 14 is sealed closed around the stack 11, the interior of the package construction 10 initially has a relative humidity of 50% whereby the labels 12 will not tend to curl therein, it being found that when the relative humidity is high, the labels curl toward the foil side 15 thereof and when the relative humidity is relatively dry, the labels 12 curl toward the paper side 16 thereof.

While the sheet of material 14 can comprise any suitable material, it has been found that when the same is formed of polyvinylchloride the sheet of material 14 permits the package construction 10 of this invention to have the following features.

In particular, the package construction 10 of this invention when heat sealed closed by the apparatus 20, provides improved moisture protection for the labels 12 disposed therein. In addition, by maintaining the atmosphere in the interior of the package construction 10 with the atmospheric conditions of the enclosure 23, the labels 12 have reduced or no curl when the package construction 10 is opened in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2 even though the same has been stored in adverse atmospheric conditions for long periods of time.

Further, by heat shrinking the material 14 around the labels 12 and reinforcing board 13, the package construction 10 of this invention insures better alignment and flatness of the stack 11 so that the same can be readily disposed in a label applying apparatus after the stack 11 has been removed from the package construction 10.

In addition, when the material 14 is formed of the transparent polyvinylchloride previously described, the ultimate consumer can readily view the labels 12 through the sheet 14 as the same is a crystal clear film whereby the package construction 10 need not be itself marked for identication purposes. In addition, various bottlers utilize the labels 12 with a unique coding thereon wherein the labels may be partially slit at the edges thereof in the manner indicated by the reference numeral 24 in FIG- URE 12 so that the coding on the labels 12 can be readily viewed without opening the package construction 10.

The labels 12 are completely protected against foreign odors because all the seams of the sheet of material 14 are heat sealed closed to provide a hermetic seal around the labels 11 so that the same can readily be utilized with food products and the like.

It has been found that the polyvinylchloride 14 is relatively strong so that should the package constructions 10 be dropped or the like, the material 14 has an impact resistance which prevents the same from bursting open under such adverse conditions.

In order to open the package constructions 10, the material 14 can readily be slit by a knife-like member or the like and peeled away in a simple and effective manner not heretofore provided.

In addition, it can readily be seen that with the crystal clear film 14 tightly compacted around the stack 11, the same gives a neat, clean appearance to the package construction 10 to enhance the sales appeal thereof.

As previously set forth, this invention is not limited to a package construction for labels per se because the package construction of this invention can be utilized for packaging other desired objects, the embodiments of the labels 12 merely being set forth to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Further, while the labels 12 have been previously described as being substantially rectangular, it can be seen that the reinforcing paper board 13 can be utilized therewith or not as desired.

However, when the labels or sheets of material are of irregular peripheral edges, it is desired to reinforce more than one side of the stack thereof in order to provide an improved package construction of this invention.

For example, reference is made to FIGURE 5 wherein a stack 25 of labels 26 is provided with the labels 26 each having like irregular peripheral edges for decorative, coding and other reasons, as desired.

In order to form the stack 25 into a package construction of this invention, a reinforcing blank 27, FIGURE 6, can be utilized and comprises three panels 28, 29 and 30 foldably interconnected together at score lines 31 and 32 so that the same can be disposed against three sides of the stack 25 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 7 and be encased in the heat scalable and heat shrinkable film-like material 14 to provide another improved package construction 33 of this invention in the same manner as the package construction 10 previously described, the panels 28, 29 and 30 of the blank 27 having peripheral edges coinciding with the peripheral edges of the respectively engaged sides of the stack 25.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention provides package constructions for various items in a unique and novel manner whereby the resulting package construction will have all of the advantages and features heretofore set forth.

For example, four packages of labels packaged in the manner of this invention and four packages of labels formed in the prior art manner of wrapping a paper foil combination around the stack of labels and being sealed closed with tape were respectively exposed to (1) room conditions, (2) atmospheric conditions of F. and 93% relative humidity and (3) atmospheric conditions of 100 F. and 30% relative humidity for three weeks.

Packages from each above conditions were opened and examined for curl after four days storage and after three weeks storage at each condition whereby the following results were found.

The package constructions of this invention which were exposed to three weeks of the hot wet atmospheric conditions produced no curl in the labels when the packages were initially opened and the labels were found to have no curl after being opened and maintained in room condition for approximately sixteen hours. However, the labels which were initially wrapped in the foil paper combination set forth above and stored for three weeks in the hot wet atmospheric condition produced slight curl to the foil side of the labels on opening of the package constructions and had slight curl to the foil side thereof after being exposed to room conditions for sixteen hours.

In regards to the package constructions of this invention which were stored for three weeks at normal room conditions, the labels curled to the foil side thereof on initially opening of the same and had the same degree of curl as when initially opened after remaining open for sixteen hours at room condition. However, the labels packaged in the prior art foil paper combination had a slight curl to the foil side thereof when the priorart packages were initially openedafter the prior art packages had been stored for three weeks at, room condition, the labels of the prior art package construction having the same degree of curl as :wheninitially opened after the same had remained opened at. room condition for sixteenhours. The labels packaged according to theteaching of this invention and stored ,for threeweeks in the hot dry atmospheric conditions produced no curl on the initial opening of the package construction of this invention and showed severe curl to the foil side thereof after remaining atroorn condition for sixteen hours from the initial opening thereof. .However, the labels packaged in the prior art foil paper combination showed slight curl to the paper side thereofwhen initially opened after being. stored for three weeks at the hot dry atmospheric conditions and showed severe curl to the foil side thereof after remaining open for sixteen hours at room condition.

The most significantstorage conditions for labels for bottle use or the like are the hot wet and room conditions as these are the conditionsmost frequently encountered in bottling plants. The immediate curl tendency of the labels is the most significant fact to bottlers since labels are not unwrapped until needed for use.

The maintenance of labels at room conditions after initial opening of the package constructions is only significant in that subsequent curl indicates'the degreeto which the paper moisture had changed under the storage conditions. For example, the fact that the labels stored at hot dry atmospheric condition curled to the foiled side after room condition storage shows that the paper had lost moisture during storage and, because of hysteresis, the dimension changes as the moisture content increases under the higher relative humidity.

From the above tests, it can be concluded that the package construction of this invention provides protection against changing moisture content equal to or superior to the prior art foil paper wrapping that is closed with paper tape.

While FIGURES 1, 4 and 7 illustrate one method for forming the seams of the enclosing sheet of material 14, it is to be understood that the seams could be formed in any other suitable pattern.

As previously set forth, the labels 12 or the like can be coded by providing slits 24 therein in the manner set forth in FIGURE ;1.

In the prior known package constructions for such coded labels, it has been found that the handling of the prior known package constructions resulted in further slitting of the labels 12 at the coded slits-24.

However, the heat shrunk sheet .14 ofthis invention, tightly compacts the coded labels 12 together so that further tearing or slitting of the coded labels 12 at the code slits 24 is completely prevented.

Accordingly, this invention not only provides an improved package constnuction or the like, but also this invention provides an' improved method for making such a package construction or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A package construction comprising a stack of sheets, and a heat shrunk and sealed closed sheet of material disposed completely around said stack and compacting the same together, said package construction having the interior thereof initially sealed closed while being at an atmospheric condition having a preselected relative humidity and an atmospheric pressure so that when said package construction is initially opened said sheets will not tend to curl.

2. A package construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said relative humidity is approximately 50%.

3. A package construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sheet of material is polyvinylchloride.

4. A package construction, comprising a stack of sheets, a reinforcement board means disposed against one side of said stack, and a heat shrunk and sealed sheet of material disposed completely around said stack and board means and compacting the same together, said package construction having the interior thereof initially sealed closed while being at an atmosphericcondition having a preselected relative humidity and an atmospheric pressure so that when said package construc tion is initially opened said sheets will not tend to curl.

5. A package construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said sheets each has a like irregular peripheral edge.

6. A package construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein said board means is substantially U-shaped to engage not only said one side of said stack, but also two other sides thereof.

7. A package construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said sheet of material is transparent.

8. A package construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said sheets are packaged in flat condition.

9. A method for making a package construction for a stack of sheets comprising the steps of placing said stack in a controlled atmosphere having a preselected relative humidity and an atmospheric pressure, wrapping said stack in a sheet of material so that said sheet of material completely surrounds said stack, sealing closed said sheet of material so that the interior of said package construction will initially have said preselected atmospheric condition whereby said sheets will not curl when said package construction is initially opened, and heat shrinking said sealed closed sheet of material around said stack to compact said stack together.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 and including the step of sealing closed said sheet of material by heat sealing said sheet to itself.

11. A method as set forth in claim 9 and including the step of preselecting said relative humidity to be approximately 50%.

12. A method as set forth in claim 9 and including the step of forming said sheet of material from polyvinylchloride.

13. A method for making a package construction for a stack of sheets comprising the steps of placing said stack in a controlled atmosphere having a preselected relative humidity and an atmospheric pressure, disposing a reinforcing board means against one side of said stack, wrapping said stack and board means in a sheet of material so that said sheet of material completely surrounds said stack and board means, sealing closed said sheet of material so that the interior of said package construction will initially have said preselected atmospheric condition whereby said sheets will not curl when said package construction is initially opened, and heat shrinking said sealed closed sheet of material around said stack and board means to compact said stack and board means together.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 and including the step of packaging said sheets while said sheets are in flat condition.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13 and including the step of forming said sheet of material from transparent material.

16. A method as set forth in claim 13 and including the step of forming said sheets each with a like irregular peripheral edge.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16- and including the step of forming said board means in a substantially U-shape to engage not only said one side of said stack, but also two other sides thereof.

18. A package construction comprising a stack of sheets, and a heat shrunk and sealed closed sheet of material disposed completely around said stack and compacting the same together, said package construction having the interior thereof initially sealed closed while being at an atmospheric condition having a preselected relative humidity so that when said package construction is initially opened said sheets will not tend to curl, said sheets each comprising a label having a metallic foil side and a paper side.

19. A method for making a package construction for a stack of sheets comprising the steps of forming each sheet for said stack with a metallic foil face and an opposed paper face, placing said stack in a controlled atmosphere having a preselected relative humidity, Wrapping said stack in a sheet of material so that said sheet of material completely surrounds said stack, sealing closed said sheet of material so that the interior of said package construction will initially have said preselected atmospheric condition whereby said sheets will not curl when said package construction is initially opened, and heat shrinking said sealed closed sheet of material around said stack to compact said stack together.

20. A package construction comprising a stack of sheets, and a heat shrunk and sealed closed sheet of material disposed completely around said stack and compacting the same together, said package construction having the interior thereof initially sealed closed while being at an atmospheric condition having a preselected relative humidity so that when said package construction is initially opened said sheets will not tend to curl, each sheet having a coding slit in the peripheral edge thereof whereby said heat shrunk heat material so tightly compacts said coded sheets together that further tearing of said sheets at said slits is prevented.

21. A method for making a package construction for a stack of sheets comprising the steps of providing a coding slit in the peripheral edge of each of said sheets, placing said stack in a controlled atmosphere having a preselected relative humidity, wrapping said stack in a sheet of material so that said sheet of material completely surrounds said stack, sealing closed said sheet of material so that the interior of the package construction will initially have said preselected atmospheric condition whereby said sheets will not curl when said package construction is initially opened, and heat shrinking said sealed closed sheet of material around said stack to compact said stack together whereby said step of heat shrinking said sheet of material so tightly compacts said coded sheets together that further tearing of said sheets at said slits is prevented.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,814,382 11/ 1957 LaSSiter 206---46 3,010,262 11/1961 Rumsey 53--30 3,148,769 9/1964 Bryant 20657 MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner. 

